I wanted to share an in-depth review of Pineapple Beach Club ("PBC") as it was so fantastic and it should provide you with more information if you wish to visit.
A little background, PBC is an adults only all inclusive resort in Antigua, Caribbean. It's owned by Elite Islands Resorts and up until 2016, it used to be part of the Sandals group. These speaks volumes as to the type of resort it is.
If you're looking for a traditional, laid back Caribbean resort which doesn't require a golf buggy to get you around (although the buggies are available if you're feeling a little lazy) then this is the place for you.
Let me walk you through what's available on the resort and our experiences.
Check in:
We were greeted by several members of staff who asked us to take a seat and we were offered a refreshing cool towel and either a rum or a fruit punch. Our luggage was left safely outside and we were speedy provided a form to sign and given our room cards and padlock for the safe.
We were lucky to arrive just us and another couple so the process was very quick and within minutes we were on a golf buggy heading to our room.
Rooms:
Initially I had booked a beachfront room however I spoke to the reservations team ahead of arriving and queried these rooms as I wanted to ensure everything was perfect as we were celebrating my boyfriend, Peter, birthday whilst we were there. We were checked into a Waterfront room however I will provide some details regarding the other rooms on the resort.
Waterfront rooms:
We were checked into room 526 which was on the first floor and the third room from the end. These rooms are prime location for the action. A few steps from the large main pool, beach, bar and buffet restaurant.
As we opened the door, we were greeted by the refreshing air conditioning and saw straight away the super king sized bed. The room was spacious with a large closet, ample draws and high ceilings with a fan.
I loved the sea breeze style décor and the light colours (grey/blue/white) within the room. We had a sliding door which opened onto the huge private balcony which overlooked the stunning Long Bay beach and ocean.
The bathroom was the only disappointment. It appeared very dated and although the shower was large with great water pressure, there was no room to put any toiletries outside of the shower and we had issues with the toilet constantly filling up and making a noise. It was eventually fixed but this was after about three days.
As I said before, the location of our room was perfect. Close to everything we needed and no steep incline.
Another lovely touch was not only the complimentary bottle of red wine (this was part of our Expedia booking) but also the bottle of sparkling wine to wish Peter a Happy Birthday.
Beachfront rooms:
Whilst we were staying (last week of November 2018) the beachfront rooms in the second block from the beach were being worked on. There was extensive work during the day and it was very noisy if you sunbathed in this area.
It's good that they are being updated but I did notice that there is no private balcony. You simply walk in the front door and then there are no other doors. There is a large window but that's it.
Garden rooms:
We managed to use a shower room before our flight home (just speak to reception the day before you check out and they will provide a room for 30 minutes to use). This was located in the block behind reception and it was room 306.
There were two flights of stairs which are quite steep so if you have mobility issues, these rooms would not be good for you.
The rooms were very small compared to our room and quite dark however they had a nice sized bed and the bathrooms were new.
Restaurants/Bar:
Topaz
This is the main restaurant which serves all three meals as a buffet style. You're able to order drinks from the bar although sometimes it's quicker to bring a drink in.
At first glance, I must admit I wasn't impressed with how the food looked however it tasted wonderful so it shows you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.
One thing to watch out for is the naughty birds. They love to drink from your drinks and help themselves to your food if you leave it unattended.
Breakfast:
The best eggs are made by Jo-Ann and Winston. I had the best omelettes and you get to chose whatever you want in them. Peter would have his three poached eggs each morning and they also served hard boiled and scrambled eggs in the buffet.
You can get a fresh smoothie made and there are lots of ingredients to choose from. There is also the traditional cooked breakfast, pancakes, waffles and continental offering. Don't forget to try the coconut muffins and the monkey bread.
Also you must have a mimosa at breakfast (treat yourself you're on holiday) and you can order lattes, cappuccinos etc. but these often take a little time to arrive.
Lunch:
Usual buffet offering a selection of hot dishes and salads. We found the buffet to be very focussed on one particular cuisine which I quite liked otherwise you end up with a plate of random food.
Dinner:
Similar to lunch with a specific cuisine. We tried the Mexican and Mediterranean nights. Both very nice and yummy.
They offer wines by the glass at the restaurant or you can order a drink from the bar. I loved the sparkling wine with dinner.
Chef Pietro's:
We dined here one night. The service was absolutely fantastic! Very fast and attentive. However, the food was a little average.
I had the scallop ceviche for starter which was lovely and Peter had the melon and Parma ham but this was a tiny portion. My main was the chicken gnocchi which was nice and Peter had the sword fish which was overcooked and too salty. The pana cotta wasn't a traditional one and more like a mouse however the chocolate lava cake was nice.
Pineapple Grill:
Whilst the food was yummy, the service was incredibly slow and not as friendly as other places to dine. I can't remember our starters but I had the one pot chicken for main which was lovely. I thought it might be more 'traditional' however it was still good.
You can opt to pay extra for the steak and lobster.
Street party:
On Wednesday nights, they alternate between a street party and a beach party. We had our most enjoyable meal at the street party. So many traditional dishes such as curried goat, ox tail and mashed plantain. The desserts were also the best!
I liked being sat with other people and it's a great way of chatting to some other guests. The steel band playing in the background and all the street lights made the perfect setting.
Pelican Grill:
This is the place to grab a quick bite to eat. We had the burger and chips for lunch one day at it was yummy. You can also get great ice creams here.
They serve nice wraps, sweet potato fries, onion rings, cookies and a few other quite bites.
Mary's Outhouse:
We loved this for our lunch spot. It's a little walk to the top but you're greeted by the friendliest staff and amazing views. Help yourself to a cold Sol from the cool box and enjoy the amazing ribs, chicken and coleslaw.
Keep and eye out for the mongoose who roam around and maybe through them some scraps. Also, don't forget to either take a plaque with you to nail up or they can give you some wood and markers to leave your stamp for others to see.
Sly Mongoose:
This was the main bar and opened at 10:00am. They have a cocktail list with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options. The strawberry daiquiris, cosmopolitans and pretty much every cocktail we tried was fantastic!
The bar staff were so friendly and often I'd just ask for something fruity and rum based and they would surprise me.
Daily entertainment:
Water sports:
The water sports desk is located on the beach to the right and here you can get the snorkelling equipment to explore over to the right. We saw lots of colourful fish and corals.
We briefly went out on the stand up paddle boards but I got a little bored (no pun intended!).
The lovely Kevin also took us out on a Hobicat and was telling us all about life in Antigua.
There is also kayaks to take out and if you sail, you can take one of the smaller Hobicats out yourself.
Activity board:
Each day there would be an update on the chalk board telling you the host of activities available. These varied from day to day but do check out the yoga on the beach at 7:30am on a Thursday. Also the same teacher has a Pilates class on Tuesday evening.
Each day there was aqua aerobics in the main pool at 10:30am and volley ball at 4:00pm. Other days there were tennis lessons, mixology classes, beach cricket and learning about Antigua. There was always something to get involved with.
If organised activities is not your thing then help yourself to one of the board games on offer, there was also giant scrabble, giant connect four, giant Jenga and a pool table.
There's also a book shelf to help yourself to books and also leave some behind. I often left my magazines I'd finished with here.
Evening activities:
The activity board also provided the details for the evening entertainment. Sometimes it was a local band playing however they also had a Couples Quiz (we took part and it was great fun) and karaoke (we also took part and it was cringe but adorable - thanks Peter for singing to me).
All the action was in the main area of the Sly Mongoose bar. This made popping to the bar nice and easy during the evening.
Swimming pools:
There are three pools at the resort however I must confess we only spent about half an hour in one of them one evening as we loved the beach so much.
The pools all appeared clean and had ample sunbeds available. The main pool, with the aqua aerobics, is located next to the Sly Mongoose bar.
Beach:
I loved Long Bay beach. It was cleaned of the seaweed each morning. Towards the end of our holiday, there were issues with a lot of seaweed in the sea but this is not the resorts fault and simply can not be helped.
We had no issues findings sunbeds and we would choose the beds close to the Sly Mongoose bar so it was the perfect location. Tip: You can sometimes pick up the free wifi here too.
The beach is approximately 0.50 miles long. We often walked the length and it was lovely snorkelling off to the far right of the beach.
The main area of sun loungers is near the volley ball courts however I found this to be noisy due to the constructions and I much preferred being at the other end of the beach.
Gym/Tennis courts:
If table tennis is your thing, then you'll be pleased with the tables located both to the left of the beach and also outside the gift shop.
The two tennis courts were well maintained but be careful as they were slippery due to the sand. The rackets and ball are available at the court so none of that leaving a deposit at reception malarkey.
The gym was very good. You need a room card to open the door. The equipment is fairly new and comprehensive. Peter is a big gym fan and he was impressed with the equipment too.
Overall:
I feel like I've covered a lot in detail. This was my fiftieth country I've visited and it was actually the best holiday I've ever had. What made it perfect was all the wonderful people we interacted with. The staff genuinely wanted to talk to you, as did the other guests.
PCB has something special for everyone that visits. If you have any questions, please feel free to drop me an email beckyboo1986@gmail.com
